This application relates to the dyeing of hosiery and similar lighter weight, delicate apparel, and more particularly to dye bags formed of a novel fabric tending to reduce or eliminate static electricity in and on the apparel contained therein and exhibiting non-staining characteristics.
Previously in the hosiery industry dye bags have historically been made of an open type mesh fabric. As hosiery and other delicate articles have become lighter in weight and more delicate, such open mesh dye bags have presented problems. Such problems occur by portions of the apparel protruding through or becoming lodged in the mesh openings resulting in picks and other types of damage to the hosiery.
In order to address the above problems, in recent years such dye bags have been formed of a tighter knit (tricot construction) utilizing polyester yarn. The use of such polyester tricot bags has become widespread, however, polyester as a yarn for dye bag fabric suffers from two major disadvantages. First of all, polyester fiber accepts the dye stuffs utilized in dyeing hosiery, becomes stained, and must be scoured between each usage. Further, when used in conjunction with nylon or polyester hosiery, generates static electricity as a result of the nylon or polyester rubbing against the polyester fabric of the bag.
Polypropylene, on the other hand, has not generally been considered as a yarn used in tricot constructions because of its relatively large denier size Applicant has discovered, with the recent advent of smaller denier polypropylene, that it can be successfully incorporated in a tricot construction both of the aforesaid problems can be obviated. Polypropylene has no affinity for dye stuffs, and therefore, eliminates the need for scouring between usages. Secondly, polypropylene is inherently an anti-static material when used in conjunction with nylon and/or polyester, because polypropylene takes an opposite charge from that generated by nylon and/or polyester. Therefore, the hazards and annoyance of static electricity is minimized or eliminated all together. In accordance with the present invention, 60 denier polypropylene fabric for dye bags is constructed by a tricot process, therefore, eliminating scouring, static buildup, and keeping pick levels and damaged apparel to a minimum level.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a unique fabric for dye bags.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a polypropylene tricot fabric for dye bags which minimizes damage to apparel, eliminates the need for scouring between usage, and is anti-static.
Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention will become apparent from reading the following description of a preferred embodiment.